Evaluation of Synthetic Zirconyl Complex as Potential Floral Preservative on Postharvest Quality of Cut Roses Rosa hybrida L. Cv. Grand prix

Abstract

Floral preservative biocides in most cases consider toxic at the affective concentration to both plant and microbial proliferation. Therefore, in order to find nontoxic biocide, this experiment was conducted to evaluate a recent Synthetized Zirconyl Complex as a potential floral preservative biocide for cut roses (Rosa hybrida L. cv. Grand Prix). To assess the effect of Zirconyl biocide as potential preservative, cut roses was treated with 0, 10, 20 and 50 ppm plus 20% sucrose as pulse solution for 24 hours before transferred into holding solution 10 times dilution from the pulsing solution. The flower quality such as the vase life, flowers relative fresh weight and maximum flower diameter were observed. Also, flower water relation parameters were determined, besides evaluating the biochemical responses such as chlorophyll degradation and florescence, total soluble sugars, free amino acids, DPPH free radical scavenging activity, total phenolic compounds and total flavonoids were determined. Results indicated the possibility to use Zirconyl complex biocide as floral preservative at 20-50 ppm concentration to extend the cut rose flowers vase life of from 8.88 to 13 day through improving flower water relation parameters and reducing oxidative damage.